A stunning 10th anniversary edition of Rev. Dr. Jade C. Angelica's beloved memoir and pastoral guide for those who love someone with Alzheimer's. With a new foreword by Dr. Stephen G. Post.
In 2001, Jade C. Angelica's mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and thus began a surprising and transformative journey for both mother and daughter. From the early stages of the disease until her mother died, Angelica was dedicated to her mother's care. In that time she learned about grief, relationship, the nature of selfhood, and the unexpected blessings of Alzheimer's disease. She also found a purpose and embarked on her life's work-to teach that people with Alzheimer's can have meaningful lives, relationships, joy, and growth. Where Two Worlds Touch is both a memoir and a pastoral guide for those who love someone with Alzheimer's. It offers heartfelt wisdom on preserving connection, self-care, and staying open to the possibility of grace.
In this updated 10th anniversary edition of her beloved book, Angelica adds more learnings from her years in Alzheimer's ministry and important discoveries from the world of science. She draws on interfaith theological and spiritual resources, historical information, medical research, social context, and practical know-how from professional and family caregivers, as well as her own life's story to provide a life-changing resource for those who need its gifts.
About the Author :
Rev. Dr. Jade C. Angelica is the founder and director of the Healing Moments Alzheimer's Ministry and leads workshops, worship services, and trainings around the country. She holds a master of divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School, a certificate from the Shalem Institute Spiritual Guidance Program, and a doctor of ministry degree in Faith, Health and Spirituality from Andover Newton Theological School. Her writing has appeared in The Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling, Presence, The World, The National Catholic Reporter, The Huffington Post, Alzheimer's & Dementia, and The Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging.
Review :
"Where Two Worlds Touch is an accessible and compassionate guide to understanding and loving someone with Alzheimer’s. Through her own personal experience and spiritual training, Jade Angelica offers a shift in perspective about Alzheimer’s that shines a loving light on what is still there instead of what is lost. This is the book I wished for when my grandmother had Alzheimer’s." —Dr. Lisa Genova, New York Times best-selling author of Still Alice and Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting
"Every chaplain, theologian, caregiver, and healthcare professional can find profound truth captured on each page of Where Two Worlds Touch. Jade Angelica builds from the narrative of her experience as a caregiver, and invites the reader to journey with her into the highly significant theo-philosophical literature that has arisen in the last decade around the experience of the deeply forgetful and those who care for them. The reader will find that there is a place for love and hope and continuing selfhood in an experience that is more than just half-full if we can see it rightly. This is a beautiful book and the deepest I have read on the topic." —Dr. Stephen G. Post, author of Dignity for Deeply Forgetful People: How Caregivers Can Meet the Challenges of Alzheimer’s Disease
"I am so very impressed by this exceptionally well-written and well-researched book. Jade Angelica deserves rave reviews for her unique balance of compassion, insight, and scientific support on a very complex issue. I strongly recommend Where Two Worlds Touch for caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s dementia." —Dr. Robert A. Stern, former Clinical Core Director, Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Boston University School of Medicine
"Jade Angelica takes us on a journey through the veils of life in her book about Alzheimer’s and caregiving, Where Two Worlds Touch. Her hand reaches out, lifts us up, and guides our flight through the cloud cover. She leads us through the crisp blue tunnel where the bright light beams through. Softly and subtly, her storytelling instills new perceptions of what is before us and what is possible. How situations we felt made no sense and were frustrating and exhausting are given a new view. Jade’s authentic voice shifts our beliefs. She shows how our souls never disconnect; even though communication may be delivered differently and quietly. She shows us there are different levels of unconditional love and compassion which can flip a sad negative narrative into one of peace, joy, and contentment. Thank you, Jade, for amplifying how small acts of kindness benefit all of us." —Lori La Bey, founder of Alzheimer’s Speaks and Dementia Map
"Jade Angelica has written an engaging and reflective book that is both personal and political. The commandment to honor your parent is not always easy. Angelica’s focus on the care of people with Alzheimer’s highlights this and brings out the often unspoken challenges of the practical, emotional, moral, and spiritual work we need to do to protect the most vulnerable members of our society." —Rabbi Sara Paasche-Orlow, Spiritual Care Director, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston
"Where Two Worlds Touch is a timely manifesto that will forever change the way our society cares for individuals with dementia. This is a must-read book for all caretakers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Angelica is a prescient observer of the human condition and has done a wonderful job of providing rich anecdotes, clear prose, and novel strategies that really work. Given that there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, it is imperative that our society develop and follow a humane standard of care for these individuals. Where Two Worlds Touch provides a blueprint for how we can ameliorate the suffering of and dramatically improve the quality of life for Alzheimer’s patients." —Dr. Justin Feinstein, Clinical Neuropsychologist, Laureate Institute
for Brain Research, Tulsa
"Jade Angelica is a sojourner from the land of Alzheimer’s bearing witness that all there is not lost. Her testimony is even more outrageous: We can experience in that far country depths of being alive, and in love, that the worlds of perfect health may never understand. Where Two Worlds Touch is a treasure chest of spiritual gems, the boon of an adventure into and out of the valley of the shadow of death. If you or someone you love are in the land of Alzheimer’s, read this spirited-inspired travel log and find your way home." —Michael Verde, Founder and Director, Memory Bridge
"Where Two Worlds Touch is the best book on caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s that I have ever read. Jade C. Angelica knows what she is talking about. Her voice is warm, authentic, and loving. She offers wisdom, comfort, and assurance, revealing how this journey can be an experience of surprising grace and spiritual growth.” —Michael Leach, editor of “Soul Seeing” in National Catholic Reporter; author of Soul Seeing: Light, Love, Forgiveness; and caregiver to wife Vickie for twenty years
"Where Two Worlds Touch is a deeply moving and insightful exploration of Alzheimer’s caregiving that seamlessly blends personal experience, scientific research, and spiritual wisdom. Jade Angelica offers a compassionate and empowering perspective, revealing the profound connections and moments of grace that are possible even in the face of cognitive decline. Through her heartfelt narrative and nuanced understanding, Angelica illuminates the enduring value and beauty of every person, regardless of their cognitive state. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone touched by Alzheimer’s, providing both practical guidance and spiritual nourishment for the caregiving journey. Angelica’s work stands as a testament to the power of love, hope, and the enduring human spirit." —Rev. Professor John Swinton, Professor in Practical Theology and Pastoral Care, King’s College, University of Aberdeen
"From my experience both as a neurologist treating people who are living with dementia and a care partner for my parents who had Alzheimer’s disease, I have learned that the deepest losses associated with dementia are in the realm of relationships. Some of the greatest gifts care partners can receive are the belief and hope that meaningful relationships can be maintained with people who are advancing in dementia and guidance on ways to foster those relationships and shore up selfhood in the process. In her beautiful book, Where Two Worlds Touch, as well as in her educational presentations and workshops, Jade Angelica offers these gifts with insight, intelligence, honesty, and compassion, lightening the burdens of many in the process. I consider Jade’s book an essential part of my library." —Dr. Daniel C. Potts, neurologist, Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center
"Jade Angelica’s Where Two Worlds Touch provides an insightful and poignant journey into caring for a loved one living with dementia. It invites the reader to enter into a compassionate and dignified world that connects the latest in Alzheimer’s research while invoking person-centered approaches through meaningful improvisation. A heartfelt reality that many can resonate with while embarking upon a world of caregiving." —Dr. Angel C. Duncan, Executive Arts Director, Cognitive Dynamic Foundation
"In Where Two Worlds Touch: The Spirit and Science of Alzheimer’s Caregiving, Jade Angelica masterfully weaves her personal journey as a caregiver with scientific insights and spiritual reflections, offering readers a profound guide to finding meaning, connection, and even grace in the face of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease. Her beautifully written narrative, enriched with practical advice, coping strategies, and meditative practices, is both insightful and deeply compassionate. This book not only acknowledges the immense challenges of caregiving but also reveals how we can discover purpose and forge a deeper bond with our loved ones, even in the most difficult and lonely moments. I hope every caregiver of a loved one with dementia has the opportunity to read this wonderful book." —Dr. Edmarie Guzmán-Vélez, Assistant Professor and Neuropsychologist at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital
“The consciousness-raising and worldview-shifting insights found in Where Two Worlds Touch might have a positive systemic impact on society if it were to become the go-to book for those whose lives are touched by Alzheimer's.” —Patty Sutherland, Foreword Reviews, on the first edition
"Very few writers possess the wit and spunk of Jade Angelica, especially combined with an uncanny insight into the art of giving care. Information about the science and medical treatment of Alzheimer’s disease is readily available, but caregivers searching for spiritual guidance have largely been left on their own. Angelica offers much needed guidance on topics like “Healing When There Is No Cure,” “Redefining Survival,” and “Forgetting, Forgiving, and Reconciling.” Angelica’s life story as an estranged daughter, a Harvard theological student, and eventually the primary caregiver for her mom has led her to a place where she can hold the hands of other caregivers and share her hopeful credo, that two worlds can indeed touch, even if one world is altered by distance and disease." —Joanne Koenig Coste, author of Learning to Speak Alzheimer’s, on the first
edition
